Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IISMulti-talented magnetic field sensor: Robust position, angle and current measurement with the same chip
Erlangen, Germany: The Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS presents the FH6D04, an intelligent Hall sensor that enables position, angle and current measurements with just one chip. Developed for demanding systems, it combines sensor technology, analog signal processing and algorithmic intelligence. It thus offers a forward-looking solution for sensor manufacturers, system integrators and developers who want to make their designs more efficient, space-saving and robust. The sensor will be presented from May 6 to 8, 2025, at the SENSOR+TEST trade fair in Hall 1, Stand 1-317 in Nuremberg.
Sensor solutions for position or current measurement systems usually require a large number of specialized components as well as additional effort for software development and system adjustment. This results in long parts lists, increased maintenance costs and rising life cycle costs. In addition, classic magnetic sensors often reach their functional and technical limits when precision and robustness are required in equal measure.
Integrators and developers of magnetic sensor systems face major challenges when additional measured variables are to be detected without increasing the complexity of the system. Sensor manufacturers who want to convert existing systems to the numerous advantages of non-contact magnetic field sensors are also initially confronted with the fundamental task of comprehensively redesigning their systems – a process that involves considerable development effort
Complex sensor technology - implemented more simply
The FH6D04 quad 3D Hall sensor offers a compact single-chip solution: it combines four high-precision, three-dimensional Hall sensors with complete sensor signal processing – including amplification, analog-to-digital conversion and integrated self-calibration – as well as a RISC-V microcontroller whose firmware can be flexibly configured by the user. The evaluation is carried out using the algorithms of the Fraunhofer IIS technologies HallinMotion® for position and angle sensors and HallinPower® for current measurement, which are stored in the module. The desired measured variables in meters, degrees and amperes are provided directly to the integrator.
One sensor for all cases thanks to configurable architecture
The sensor is fully software-definable: by simply loading customized firmware, the FH6D04 can be configured for various scenarios - from linear or rotary position measurement to precise current detection and simultaneous detection of all measured variables. Common digital interfaces such as I²C, SPI and UART facilitate integration into existing systems. Thanks to robust algorithms, the sensor remains reliable even when faced with the typical challenges of magnetic sensor systems, such as magnetic interference fields or temperature fluctuations. In addition, the development of ASIC variants allows application-specific expansion of the functionality and at the same time protects against replicas.
Standardized hardware - versatile application options
Normally, every new electronic component involves additional work for the integrator in terms of operation, calibration and software implementation. The high level of integration of the FH6D04 drastically reduces this effort: A single chip replaces several sensors as well as the microcontroller and covers a wide variety of applications at the same time. Integration into the customer's ecosystem only needs to be carried out once, after which the system can be expanded to detect additional measured variables without changing the underlying hardware architecture. All that is required are adjustments to the sensor firmware. This reduces the integration effort, shortens the parts list, increases installation space efficiency and simplifies development processes.
One example: In the joystick of an excavator, the FH6D04 can precisely detect its position while simultaneously monitoring the status of the hydraulic cylinders elsewhere and measuring the current consumption in the vehicle electrical system - depending on the configuration of the firmware. Its versatility makes it the ideal solution for control elements in vehicles, for position detection and status recording in household appliances and for current measurement in smart meters or mobile devices.
The FH6D04 is available as a prototype for developers who want to test the integration of the sensor in their systems at an early stage. They receive a flexibly configurable chip for their applications that reliably calculates desired target variables such as position or current - conveniently by uploading optimized firmware. This makes it suitable for both new and existing system architectures. From May 6 to 8, 2025, the FH6D04 chip will be presented at the SENSOR+TEST trade fair in Hall 1, Stand 1-317 in Nuremberg with exemplary application scenarios.